


Just You and Me

by Lycoriseum



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 03:40:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30015573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lycoriseum/pseuds/Lycoriseum
Summary: After a decade of strife, burden, and loss, it is time to reconnect with the one who matters most.
Relationships: Kira Carsen/Female Jedi Knight | Hero of Tython
Comments: 7
Kudos: 13





	Just You and Me

Straight-backed, chin level; each thud of her steel-capped boots rung with purpose, steady in the gait of a seasoned warrior. Every bit the Battlemaster that Kira had known - and more. So much more, after the years of separation and war. She had grown beyond the bounds of the Jedi Order, wore the self-possessed mien of the Alliance Commander with the ease of a queen and her royal mantle. The severity in her weather-worn features reminded Kira of Master Orgus - something Kira took comfort in, to find a familiar touch in she who seemed so different now.

Kira watched from a distance, from Onderon to Mek-Sha, eyes sharp for any trace of the Emperor within her. There was none to be found - and it was hard to keep suspecting that even a sliver of evil resided behind that soft smile, her dry humour amid crisis, that determination to aid as many as she could. Kira sorely wanted to believe she was free of the Emperor's grip, and nearly protested when Scourge insisted on forcing the Emperor out with an application of force. But the memory of that dark presence in her own mind made Kira bite her tongue and, fearing duplicity, she nodded.

Scourge was forced to flee the duel before he was slain as a masked 'Sith assassin', and Kira was careful to hide her smile when he returned with a warning scowl in her direction.

Kira already believed then. Scourge relented after witnessing her victory over Darth Malgus on Corellia. They saved the other Jedi and her cyborg padawan from falling to their deaths, and flew back to the Republic fleet for a reunion long overdue.

When strong arms clamped tightly around her, and a hitched whisper of her name brushed her ear, Kira knew beyond a doubt. This was Aelirra, _only_ Aelirra, whom she held in her arms.

And her heart leapt in a powerful, painful beat.

* * *

The ship's holoterminal lit up, drawing Kira's eyes from her own console. She'd just glimpsed the projected serial number of Aelirra's frequency, when Scourge accepted the transmission - audio only.

_"Scourge, Kira. We've just sent the coordinates to you."_

"Got it." Kira glanced down at the terminal, fingers flying over the keys to accept said coordinates. Her mouth took on a wry curve. "Deep in Wild Space. This is gonna take us days."

_"Six, in fact. Or five, if Teeseven can work his astrogational magic."_

_"Voyage = five days / T7 + magic = guarantee"_

A quiet chuckle. _"I believe you, buddy. The ride should be smooth,"_ Aelirra addressed them again. _"If you need anything, just call me."_

"Sure."

_"Great, I'll just leave you two-"_

"Wait." The word flew from her mouth of its own volition, and a spark of realisation short-circuited her brain.

_"Yeah?"_

Kira fumbled in the darkness of her skull, distracted by the flush creeping up her neck. "Grab some rest on the way there, alright?"

Another chuckle, and Kira wondered if Aelirra knew her laugh alone made this idiot Jedi want to somersault onto the Defender mid-flight. Or maybe just blast herself out the airlock. Both had equal appeal at the moment.

_"Of course. You too, Kira."_

Kira stared blankly as the terminal went dark, seconds passing before she heaved a sigh. Looking up, she caught Scourge's eye across the console. His expression was placid, but he understood. He knew how Kira felt, even though she'd never told him in so many words. She didn't have to, not after the times he'd stopped her foolhardy attempts to fly after a lost Jedi, a beloved companion. Not after he'd suffered a scar while channelling her grief into a furious lightsaber duel.

Scourge knew, all too well. But the dry tinge to his gaze was not the cool understanding he'd borne before. Quite the opposite, in fact, and the retreating heat in Kira's neck threatened to rise again.

"Oh, shut up," Kira snapped, stalking out of the cockpit without a backward glance.

"I didn't say anything," he rumbled.

* * *

"All those years without you…it wasn't easy. I was a nervous wreck, wondering what had really happened to you. Guess what I'm saying is…never worry me like that again, okay?"

It was rehearsed. She'd muttered it under her breath for the entire voyage to Odessen, refusing to fall into another bout of tongue-tied awkwardness. But for some _damned_ reason, her tongue had rebelled and deviated near the end. Avoided what most needed to be said.

Aelirra had sensed it; though her calm gaze did nothing to betray it, Kira read her awareness in the slight tilt of her head. Looking away from blue eyes before they could penetrate hers too deeply, Kira crossed her arms and glanced at Scourge. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling, allowing them a modicum of privacy. But Kira had no doubt they'd rested on the floor just a moment ago.

"No promises."

Kira's gaze was wrenched back to Aelirra, who wore an impish smile on her lips. For a brief moment, Kira was torn between grabbing the woman to give her a good shake, or…

She settled for a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I suppose I can't make you promise that, not with what we're about to do."

Scourge took the reins at her gesture, giving a brief on what they'd been up to, and what they were about to do. Aelirra listened intently, stoic mask giving nothing away, though her eyes darkened at the mention of the Emperor. Kira noted the twitch in her jaw, the clench of her fist; very little could shake Aelirra, much less get under her skin to inspire tension that emanated subtly from her, like a chill wind before the storm.

She nodded when they shared a plan of action for the ship and Master Satele. "Send the signal immediately."

"Consider it done," Kira replied. "I'll alert you when it comes within range."

"Good." Aelirra took a breath, and released it in a sigh. Her lips tightened briefly, before tension ebbed from her face, leaving a familiar warmth in its wake. "Take a break, you two. Have a look around the base, make yourself at home." She glanced down when the comlink on her wrist beeped, and tapped it to pipe Theron's voice through. When the call ended, she shrugged apologetically.

"I'll be in Ops, if you need me."

When she turned to leave, Kira glanced at Scourge - who was already engrossed in his own datapad. Leaving him alone, Kira hastened to Aelirra's side, following her down the corridor.

"No rest for you, huh?"

"Never, it seems."

"Well, I demand that you rest tonight." At Aelirra's quizzical glance, Kira hurried to explain. "I was thinking, maybe we could catch up? Over dinner, or something?"

A smile. Always, that smile. It set off an ache in her chest, as Aelirra slowed to a stop at an intersection.

"I'd like that. See you in the cantina this evening?"

"Great."

Kira returned her smile, clasping both hands behind her back as Aelirra took a turn down the corridor. Her heart pulled after the other, straining against her will, until it realised with a pang that she had no part in whatever occupied Aelirra's attention at the moment.

* * *

C2-N2 descended upon her the moment she set foot in the cantina. It was Aelirra's request, he explained, that C2 led her to the Commander's booth when she arrived. She smiled, glad to see his familiar bronze face, but was quick to shake him off when he started recounting his every effort to provide comfort to members of the Alliance. Patting him on the shoulder - which set off a delighted shine of his digital-green eyes - Kira strode alone to the quiet corner that C2 had indicated.

The booth was right next to a large window panel, offering a view of the woods beyond the base. Although not much could be seen right now - rain pattered against thick glass, the overcast weather turning the night sky even darker. Warm lights from the ceiling illuminated the booth and its sole occupant - who sat hunched over a datapad on the table, head rested in one hand. Her blonde hair was loose, spilling down to her shoulders and hiding her face from view.

Resisting the urge to tuck them behind Aelirra's ear, Kira neared the table and set her fingers on the edge of the datapad, drawing tired blue eyes up.

"This is supposed to be a break for you, Ael."

A sheepish smile appeared, accompanying her quiet puppy eyes. Kira stood firm for a mere two seconds, before caving. "Alright, just finish whatever you were typing."

Aelirra's eyes dropped to the datapad immediately, fingers flying over the keys. The instant she tapped 'send', Kira yanked the datapad away, getting a pout as she tossed it onto the booth's cushioned seat.

"There's that." Kira smirked at her, then nearly lost her smug expression when Aelirra scooted further into the booth, patting the empty seat beside her. She'd intended to sit opposite…

_What is wrong with you?_ She chided herself, and took the seat Aelirra had vacated for her. A droid carried a tray over, setting two glasses of pinkish-white cocktail on their table. Kira took one for a sip, cocking her head appraisingly.

"Good?"

"Good. Fruity." _Eloquent._

Aelirra smiled, taking a drink from her own glass, before folding her arms and slumping back into her seat with a yawn. Dressed in her thick hooded jacket, she looked about ready to hit the sack. "Sorry, I'm a little tired today."

"Just today?"

A dry laugh. "Alright, every day. But I would've liked to be more alive with you and Scourge back… Speaking of, where is he?"

"He's not coming. Probably off brooding...somewhere."

At Kira's request, but Aelirra didn't need to know that.

"Well, he can take care of himself." Aelirra turned her head. "How've you been?"

"I've been okay. Between Scourge and this Vitiate business, I've been keeping busy." _Still missed you something fierce, though_.

"And thriving, it seems. You look good."

"Why, thanks. You look pretty good yourself too."

"That's a lie, and we both know it," Aelirra laughed.

It was _kind of_ true - she looked thinner, more exhausted than before, when they'd flown all over the galaxy putting out fires. The shadows about her eyes were more persistent now, than when she'd merely been a Jedi Knight. A Knight, turned Master, then Battlemaster, and now the Alliance Commander. It seemed the universe was determined to pile ever more weight upon this woman's shoulders until she broke.

"You still look good to me," Kira protested quietly, allowing a lull to fall over them while she drowned her tongue in more cocktail. Jazzy beats from the band on stage filled the silence, and Kira was content to watch them, foot tapping in time with the rhythm.

"I missed you, you know," Aelirra murmured, and Kira nearly choked.

She set her glass down before an accident happened. Kira looked back at her companion, finding blue eyes watching her wanly.

"Since I woke from carbonite, Lana and Koth were there for me, every step of the way. Then there was Senya, and Theron. But the whole time, I felt like something was missing, without you and the old crew."

_Right. The crew._ Kira's mouth grew dry, and she felt an urge to slam the rest of her drink down.

"So many times I looked around to say something to you, only to find Lana or someone else giving me an odd look."

"Same here." Kira jerked a thumb at herself in a flimsy attempt at humour, and her weak smile faded quickly. "Ael...listen. We knew where you were since news of the Alliance spread. We knew you were alive. But we didn't come to you-"

"I understand, Kira."

"No, you don't. We didn't come for you, but we should have. _I_ should have." Her throat tightened. "I'm sorry you had to-"

"Don't," Aelirra interjected sharply. She clasped Kira's arm, a firm pressure that settled her down.

Taking a slow breath, Kira said, "I let you down."

"You did not." Aelirra's hand slid down the length of her arm, slipping into Kira's, which curled around hers in return. "And you're here now. That's all that matters."

Kira's eyes flickered away, then returned to Aelirra's with a tight smile. "That's the Jedi talking."

"No," Aelirra whispered, squeezing her hand gently. "It's me."

* * *

There was a problem. Of course there was.

Their ship, with Master Satele and her students, had gone missing. After countless failed attempts to hail the ship, Scourge flew into a rage - or tantrum, though Kira didn't say it to his face. Quick intervention by Aelirra calmed him down before he could destroy more Alliance property, and they sent T7 on a painstaking search through each sector of space in the ship's predetermined flight path.

Her initial hope was for the search to take mere days, but the first week passed with negative reports from T7. Agitation grew into restlessness, and Kira took to the Force Enclave, training with her fellow Jedi. Even caused some…'excitement' on the sparring floor with their Sith allies, though Aelirra had to step in herself before tempers flared beyond control. She'd earned a frown from Aelirra then, but didn't miss that faintest quirk of an exasperated smile on the Commander's lips, when she'd left them behind to lick their wounds.

The memory still made her smile, and she wondered if she could coax Aelirra onto the sparring mats, like before. With training blades, of course; Aelirra never agreed to spar with actual weapons.

Lost in thought, she wandered the base until she found Scourge standing on a catwalk overlooking one of the base's training fields. He didn't react to her approach, and remained quiet while he watched the soldiers run warm-up drills.

"Imperial and Republic. Sith and Jedi," he said, breaking their companionable silence. "Never thought I'd ever see them working together like this."

"Yeah. Leave it to her to accomplish everything you thought impossible, huh?"

"Hm."

He was in a good mood, Kira thought drily, though that didn't make him any more talkative than usual. They stood longer together, then Scourge broke the silence again.

"Have you spoken to her?"

"About?" When he didn't reply, the realisation hit her. "Oh."

"Our immediate foe is the Sith Emperor."

Kira looked at him, but his eyes remained on the Imperial and Republic troops running an obstacle course below.

"Survival is not guaranteed."

He might as well have hammered a fist into Kira's chest, the way he made the breath leave her lungs in a second. She gripped onto the guard rail, sun-baked metal warming cold skin through her glove.

She'd regretted leaving Aelirra behind on that doomed ship, and carried a bone-deep ache in the years since. It'd taken Kira a long time to realise that leaving her, _losing_ her, was not the only cause of that ache.

Biting her lip, Kira stared unseeing at the troops below, then left Scourge alone on the catwalk without another word.

* * *

Aelirra spent nearly the whole afternoon in the conference room underground, and Kira spent the same time pacing the corridors outside, anxiety wreaking havoc on her nerves. When the door finally slid open, it took every ounce of will to stand waiting for Aelirra, instead of pouncing on her the moment she stepped out of the room.

"Kira? Were you waiting for us?"

"You, actually," Kira clarified, then wished she hadn't when Lana glanced at her. "I need to talk to you."

"Alright." At Aelirra's nod, Lana moved away, soon followed by Hylo, who'd left the room last and waved at Kira as she passed. When they'd turned a corner down the corridor, Aelirra asked, "Is this about the ship?"

"No. I..." She glanced around, acutely aware of the number of cameras within the base. "Is there someplace private around here? Feels like there are eyes everywhere."

"You'd be right," Aelirra replied, a slight crook to her lips.

"Seriously?"

Aelirra shrugged, and Kira kept pace when she walked towards the lift. "I know a place. Let's go."

"Wait, right now?"

Aelirra cocked a brow, slowing to a stop as she palmed the lift's controls.

"I mean, you're the Commander. Don't you have, like, a million things to do?" A little voice in the back of her head screamed as the words left her mouth; why was she giving Aelirra reasons to _not_ come?

"I do. But you're important as well."

She nearly swallowed her tongue, and the voice in her head stopped abruptly. The beep from the lift's arrival seemed to rattle in her skull, and she followed Aelirra onto the grille platform blankly.

A touch on her arm drew her gaze back to Aelirra, from where it was fixed on the floor.

"Are you alright?" Aelirra asked gently.

_I will be. I hope._

She forced a smile. "Yeah."

* * *

Aelirra led her across the base, through the hangar, and past the private field where her Defender-class corvette was parked. Despite the leaden weight in the pit of her stomach, Kira's curiosity took hold when they reached the forest beyond the ship. Aelirra told her to keep close then - not that Kira had any intention to stray - and took a carefully-chosen path through the trees with a familiarity that spoke of previous passage through these parts.

Soon, they'd left the shelter of the forest behind, and started on a trek up a gentle incline, which ended at the edge of a cliff overlooking the sprawling green of Odessen's untouched land. Bathed in the golden-orange hue of a setting sun, the vista was breath-taking. Kira glanced at her companion, and found a serene smile on her face as she gazed at the horizon.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Aelirra said, hands on her hips. "I come out here whenever I need space to breathe. Or just to get away from everything."

"You rarely come here, then."

She laughed. "I don't come to this spot as often as I'd like, that's true." Aelirra looked over at her. "But enough about me. You had something to talk about?"

"I-, yes. I do." She took a breath, lost it, then took another. Her fingers found one another, twining tightly. "There's something...I need to tell you."

"Yes?"

She looked up at Aelirra, met her eyes, but couldn't bear the contact. Staring at the vista instead, she spoke, "I've always cared about you. As a friend and...a partner. But when you were gone, I went a little crazy. Stole a ship and tried to fly after you, 'til Scourge stopped me. Haven't lost control like that since my days on Korriban."

The thought made her smile, releasing a bit of tension in a huff. "And the months after...I couldn't stop thinking about you. Even dreamt of you. But when I called out to you, you'd turn around and...I'd find _him_ in your place instead."

She chewed on her lip. "I just couldn't accept that I'd lost you. It took your disappearance for me to finally realise that…"

Her voice lost its strength, and she lapsed into silence, wringing her fingers.

"It's okay, Kira," Aelirra said, a balm on her soul. "Just say it."

Kira glanced up, but averted her eyes before she caught a glimpse of Aelirra's face.

"I think I might've always been...a little...in love with you? More than a little." Her voice lilted, a weak laugh breaking through; an instinctive safeguard, ready to play it off as a joke. But she caught herself, pushing down the walls trying to rise. "I know it's weird to say this out of the blue, but I've kept it bottled up for so long. It just...needed to come out."

A certain calm fell over her, the pressure in her chest dissipating for the first time in six years. Filling her lungs to the brim, Kira snatched her confidence back from where it'd cowered in a corner. She exhaled through her mouth, squared her shoulders. Finally brought her gaze up to meet Aelirra's - still calm, peaceful. Like an oasis, always.

"So, that's it. Cards on the table. What do you think?"

Aelirra smiled - gentle, beautiful. It pried away Kira's inhibitions, and every secret glance, every wistful thought, every moment of longing threaded themselves around her, binding her in an overwhelming, reckless _want_. Only deliberate breaths kept her from suffocating beneath it.

"I think I'm...more than a little in love with you too."

Her heart, her mind, her _everything_ screeched to a halt. A second later, everything sped up - the beat in her chest raced near to bursting.

"You-, seriously? No joke?" Kira's tongue nearly tripped over itself in eagerness. Aelirra cocked her head, regarding her with an amused smile. She felt her cheeks redden, but she didn't care. "Can you...say it again?"

"I love you, Kira."

No hesitation. No waver in her voice. _How_ did she remain so calm? No, no. Didn't matter. Let her be the anchor while Kira's mind ejected itself into space.

Staring in disbelief, Kira said slowly, "I'm...not dreaming, am I? Not gonna wake up and find myself…"

"Here, let me help."

Before she could react, Aelirra's fingers landed on her arm, and-

"Ah- _ow! Ow, ow, stop!_ " Kira shook off Aelirra's hand and the brutal pinch she'd just administered. "That hurt!"

"You didn't know if this was a dream."

"That doesn't mean you had to try and rip a piece of my-, no!" Kira caught her by the wrist when Aelirra reached for her again. She yanked the woman close, clamping an arm around her waist to keep her still. The sight of Aelirra's grin, the gleam in her eyes, made Kira's heart soar.

"No more pinching. This isn't a dream. You're real." She grew breathless, realising how close they were when Aelirra laid a hand on her shoulder. "You're real."

"I am."

Kira stared, wordless, then whispered, "Say it again?"

Aelirra's smile softened. "I love you."

Even in her dreams, she'd never dared to hear those three words in _her_ voice. She didn't think she could bear waking up with such hope, only to have it crushed by reality. But now, _now…_

"Best thing I've ever heard in my entire life," she murmured.

Lost in blue eyes, Kira leaned down, Aelirra meeting her halfway in the softest kiss she'd ever known. The world fell away, and all she knew was the brush of Aelirra's lips against hers - chaste, tentative. She answered in earnest, daring to press deeper, earning a faint hum from Aelirra's throat. Music to her ears. Kira stole another kiss, intoxicated by the warmth on her lips.

It was Aelirra. _Aelirra_.

She couldn't help but grin as they parted, Aelirra's gaze bearing a hint of curiosity. Her heart grew immeasurably soft when Aelirra cupped her cheek, and she turned her head, placing a tender kiss on her partner's palm.

She rested their heads together, winding both arms around Aelirra's waist, keeping her close.

"I love you too, Aelirra. I have always loved you."

* * *

They didn't have much time together before T7's signal reached them - he had found the ship. Springing into action, they loaded a shuttle with spartan supplies, and fended off insistent demands by Aelirra's companions that they be brought along as well. Kira had to bite down a smile when Aelirra left them behind with a command - they looked like puppies kicked in the stomach. Trust the Commander to inspire such loyalty, that being spared from a march towards certain danger was viewed as a let-down.

With her own tail wagging behind her, Kira gave them a wave before the landing ramp rose and obscured them from view.

It took two short days for them to reach the ship - and feel a wash of relief to find that the others had followed them against the Commander's orders. While Arcann and Lana distracted the hostile fighters, Kira flew their shuttle into the landing bay.

A weight settled into her stomach as she rose from the pilot's seat, casually picking her lightsaber hilt from her belt, running her eyes over its filigreed surface in cursory inspection. There was no need, really - she'd tuned it up before this, even buffed out a few nicks in the metal. This was more a habit to keep her nerves in check.

Satisfied, she twirled it once between her fingers, and looked to Aelirra - who held her two lightsaber hilts in one hand. Catching her eye, Aelirra smiled, and reached out with her free hand. Kira grasped it, feeling Aelirra's fingers squeeze gently, warmth and strength flowing through the connection.

"Ready?"

Kira looked into her eyes - calm, steady - and knew beyond a doubt, that she would follow Aelirra anywhere. Be it to the bitter end, or a brighter future.

"Let's finish this."

* * *

A slow breath. In, out. The pressure on her mind lightened.

_It's done_.

A smile spread across her lips despite the lightness in her head, but alarm shot through her when a thud reached her ears. Kira opened her eyes, and found Aelirra slumped on the floor, having fallen from her meditative position. Startled to her feet, she rushed to Aelirra's side, turning the Commander onto her back. Kira knew she was still alive - the latent nexus of power within her, though weakened, remained steady. To be safe, she felt for a pulse in Aelirra's neck, satisfied by the calm beat against her fingertips. Cupping Aelirra's cheek, Kira whispered her name, shook her gently, reached out to her through the Force - to no avail. She remained stubbornly inert.

Frowning, Kira looked up at the rest - who'd already woken, save for Master Satele and her two fallen students. It was odd. But the Emperor's presence was gone, and they were safe. Perhaps Aelirra was just drained from the experience.

"Kira."

Scourge was already on his feet, lightsaber hilt in his hand.

"We need to take care of the ship. Permanently." He nodded at the rest - Arcann and Senya were helping the rest to their feet. The unconscious were being slung over shoulders. "They'll get onto the shuttles first."

"Got it." Kira glanced down at Aelirra, whose expression was peaceful in slumber. Concern still bit at her, but she had matters to tend to. She tapped the comlink on her wrist, raising a channel to the one person whom she would entrust with Aelirra. "Lana?"

" _I'm here."_

"We need extraction for the Commander. We're in the hangar."

" _On my way."_

* * *

With T7's help, they managed to rig every system of the ship into one huge, _huge_ bomb. After the other shuttles were gone, and they'd performed a sweep to ensure nothing was in the blast radius, they flew to a safe distance and watched the fiery explosion engulf Scourge's beloved ship.

_Good riddance_ , Kira thought, but gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "We'll find another one for you, big guy."

He rolled his eyes, and shrugged her hand off.

The flight back to Odessen was blissfully quiet, and they reached the base late in the afternoon. Apparently the others had arrived hours earlier, and wandered off to grab some rest of their own. Kira made a beeline for the shower in her quarters, and when she was done, dressed down to a simple shirt and pants, she grabbed her comlink.

It took a while before her call was picked up, and even then, silence met her first. There was mute shuffling in the background, then Aelirra spoke.

" _Hey."_ Her voice was low, gravely.

"Hey yourself. You sound tired."

" _Yeah."_

A sniff, then it hit Kira. "Oh. You were asleep. I'm so sorry-?"

" _It's okay. I'm glad you're back."_

"Me too. That's-, I mean…" She lapsed into silence before she could ramble. "I'll leave you to your-"

" _Come over if you want. Door's unlocked."_

"Okay."

Aelirra didn't cut off the call then, nor did she say anything more. A moment's hesitation, and Kira made her way to the Commander's room. Tapping the controls, the door slid open as promised. She padded quietly into the dark room, guided by the stark blue glow of Aelirra's portable holocom, still active where it lay beside her head. Kira smiled, crouching by the bed. She brushed a lock of hair from Aelirra's face, tucking it behind her ear. As she gazed at her partner, she realised what Aelirra had meant with her invitation. Just like old times.

Thumbing the holocom's button, Kira switched it off, plunging them into darkness. Placing the device on the nightstand, Kira climbed carefully into the bed, settling herself under the covers beside Aelirra. But she remained sitting, staring at the vague silhouette of her partner in the darkness.

They'd done this plenty of times before, back when they'd traveled together. Kira would have a sleepless night, go to Aelirra's room for a chat, and end up sleeping in her bed. Aelirra's presence had always made her feel safe, and that comfort alone allowed Kira to find rest easily.

_This_ time, though…

Kira debated, then caved into her desire. Shuffling closer to Aelirra, who was still curled up and fast asleep, Kira laid a gentle hand on her arm - then was surprised when the arm jerked at her touch. A faint note emanated from Aelirra's throat as she turned her head around, and Kira bent down quickly.

"Hey, hey. It's me." Kira rubbed her arm soothingly. "Go back to sleep."

A sleepy hum in reply, and Aelirra rolled onto her back with a sigh. Kira lay down beside her, content with the proximity, when Aelirra rolled over again - draping an arm over Kira's stomach, head nestled in the curve of her neck. Kira's pulse skyrocketed as she stiffened, then forced herself to relax under Aelirra. Curling an arm around her, Kira held her partner in an embrace as she drifted back to sleep.

Staring up at the ceiling, Kira waited for the threads of disbelief to fall away, under the pleasant weight of reality resting on her. All those years ago, she _had_ entertained such thoughts - of being held by Aelirra as she tried to fall asleep, of simple intimacy where she could find much-needed solace. And, perhaps, something more. But she'd chided herself back then, lashed herself with guilt and shame that she could even think of leading her fellow Jedi astray. It could've been the start of a fall to the dark.

But this? A love reciprocated, a promise of a future together? Nothing had ever felt more _right_.

Smiling, Kira angled her head down, and placed the gentlest kiss atop blonde tresses.

_Welcome home._


End file.
